Systems and methods for safe medicament transport

Abstract

A medicament transport system includes a syringe adapter assembly; and a vial adapter assembly including a base defining an opening having a seal member disposed therewithin, a stem extending from the base and defining a lumen therethrough and an opening through a wall thereof, a needle shuttle valve slidably disposed within the lumen of the stem and supporting a transfer needle and a vacuum needle; and a vacuum cup slidably supported on the stem, wherein a vacuum chamber is defined in the space between the base, the stem and the vacuum cup. The medicament transport system includes a condition where the transfer needle and the vacuum needles penetrate the seal member of the vial adapter assembly, and the vacuum cup is moved to draw a vacuum through the vacuum needle. An automation system is provided that utilizes a medicament transport system for forming a medicament solution from a liquid/non-liquid solution.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A medicament transport system for a medicament contained in a vial, the medicament transport system comprising:
 a syringe adapter assembly fluidly connectable to a first container, the syringe adapter assembly including:
 a syringe adapter sleeve; 
 a syringe adapter plunger including a first end slidably disposed within the syringe adapter sleeve and a second end extending from the syringe adapter sleeve; and 
 a syringe adapter needle connected to the first end of the syringe adapter plunger and fluidly connectable to the first container through the syringe adapter plunger, wherein the syringe adapter plunger has at least a first position wherein the syringe adapter needle is disposed entirely within the syringe adapter sleeve and at least a second position wherein at least a portion of the syringe adapter needle extends from the syringe adapter sleeve; and 
 
 a vial adapter assembly fluidly connectable to a second container and configured to slidably receive at least a portion of the syringe adapter sleeve of the syringe adapter assembly, the vial adapter assembly including:
 a transfer adapter sleeve; 
 a shuttle valve slidably disposed within the transfer adapter sleeve; and 
 a transfer adapter needle connected to the shuttle valve and fluidly connectable to the second container through the shuttle valve, wherein the shuttle valve has at least a first position wherein the transfer adapter needle is disposed within the transfer adapter sleeve and is not in fluid communication with the second container, and at least a second position wherein the transfer adapter needle is moved to extend from the transfer adapter sleeve through a seal and into the vial to be in direct fluid communication with the vial. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the syringe adapter sleeve is translatable relative to the transfer adapter sleeve by an amount sufficient for a distal end of the syringe adapter needle to extend through and out of the transfer adapter sleeve. 
     
     
       3. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second container is configured to deliver a vacuum to the transfer adapter sleeve. 
     
     
       4. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first container is configured to deliver a fluid at a rate, and the second container is configured to draw a vacuum at a rate greater than the rate of fluid delivery of the first chamber. 
     
     
       5. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the syringe adapter needle and the transfer adapter needle enter the vial when the syringe adapter plunger is at the second position and the shuttle valve is at the second position. 
     
     
       6. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 5 , wherein the first container is configured to deliver a fluid to the vial at a rate, and the second container is configured to draw a vacuum from the vial at a rate greater than the rate of fluid delivery of the first chamber. 
     
     
       7. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member disposed within the syringe adapter sleeve and being configured to maintain the syringe adapter plunger at the first position. 
     
     
       8. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member disposed within the transfer adapter sleeve and being configured to maintain the shuttle valve at the first position. 
     
     
       9. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein a first container is fluidly connectable to the syringe adapter plunger, and wherein a fluid passage extends through the syringe adapter plunger and the syringe adapter needle. 
     
     
       10. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein a second container is fluidly connectable to the transfer adapter sleeve, and wherein a fluid passage extends into the transfer adapter sleeve, through the shuttle valve and through the transfer adapter needle, when the shuttle valve is in the second position. 
     
     
       11. The medicament transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the syringe adapter assembly is connected to the first container and is in its second position, and when the vial adapter assembly is connected to the second container and is in its second position, the syringe adapter needle extends through the vial adapter sleeve into the second container to be in direct fluid communication with the second container, whereby the first container and the second container are in fluid communication with one another.